


The Rule of Three

by mon_fortis



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family Dynamics, Major Character Death is Lily but it will be touched on a lot so just a warning, Sister-Sister Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2018-05-27
Packaged: 2018-12-15 14:28:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11807841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mon_fortis/pseuds/mon_fortis
Summary: A story in which Mr. and Mrs. Evans have three daughters instead of two.





	1. A Eventful Morning in November

Dahlia groaned as the loud phone jolted her from her sleep. Climbing out of bed, she made her way towards the offending noise in her kitchen.

“‘ello?” Dahlia questioned, rubbing her eyes tiredly as she squinted at the clock on her wall.

“Dahlia, you need to come over. Now.” The sound of her older sister’s voice filled the receiver.

“Tuney? What happened? It’s like...” Dahlia looked out the window and spotted the bare glimpse of the sun rising, “... it’s the crack of dawn.”

“I-I don’t know Dahlia, I just need you to get over here. The sooner the better. ” Petunia's voice cracked at the end, causing her sister to frown.

“Okay, okay. I’ll be over soon alright? Just sit tight.”

“Thank you.” Petunia replied, sounding relieved before a soft click disconnected the sisters. Dahlia sighed, rubbed her hands down her face. She headed back to her room to grab one of her college jumpers from her messy floor, as to forego the struggle that is to put on a bra. Quickly slipping on a pair of shoes, Dahlia headed out into the cold November air.

\-------

Parking in the quiet neighborhood that was home to Petunia Dursley and her small family, Dahlia saw nothing amiss. That is until she was greeted by a distraught Petunia.

“Oh thank goodness.” Petunia practically dragged Dahlia into her house, quickly shutting the door behind her.

“Whoa, slow down Tunie, what’s going on-” Dahlia’s sentenced was cut off by Petunia’s hand, and she stared wide-eyed as her sister put a single, quivering finger to her lips before she gestured for her sister to follow. Dahlia nodded, bewildered by her sister’s strangeness, but followed after her into the dim lighting of the Dursleys kitchen.

As she did so, Petunia started to ramble quietly. “I didn’t want Vernon to see this, I was hoping you could help me with it before he knew. You know how he doesn’t like all that nonsense with Lily, and I just thought it would be better if no one knew-”

“Oh my god, Petunia!” Dahlia whispered at her sister, quickly darting around her distressed sister to pick up the dark haired boy from the basket on the table.

“Shh! You’ll wake Vernon and Dudley!” Petunia scolded in response to her younger sister’s outburst.

“Why is he here, Petunia? Where’s Lily?”, Dahlia questioned as she looked at her sleeping nephew, now noticing the horrendous lightning bolt scar that covered a section of the boy’s forehead. “Oh, Harry, what happened to you sweetheart?” Dahlia quietly asked, rocking the boy slightly in her arms.

“That’s why I called you, Lily is dead.” Petunia’s voice was cold as if she had no emotion left. Dahlia looked at her sister, now really studying her. The tightness in her eyes was a familiar one, one all three sisters shared when they were close to getting upset.

“How-” Dahlia swallowed the lump growing in her throat, “ How did this happen?”

“They,” Petunia spat, “ left a letter with the boy. It’s the only explanation we will ever get. It’s on the table, take it with you when you leave with him.”

“Leave with him? Petunia I can’t take care of him, I have just barely started taking care of myself!” Dahlia stared wide eyed at Petunia, still reeling from the coldness of her sister’s words. The two sister’s stared at each other in the kitchen of Number 4 Privet Drive. A tense silence covered the room like a thick fog until it was broken by the soft whining of the baby in Dahlia’s arms, uncomfortable with how tightly the woman was holding him. Dahlia turned her attention to the boy, rocking him gently in her arms and cooing softly as she leaned against the counter. The scraping of a chair caused Dahlia to look up at her sister, who had quietly sat and put her face in her hands as Dahlia soothed the child.

The younger woman had never seen her sister look so tired, it looked as if she had aged ten years in a matter of moments. Just as that thought crossed her mind, the reality of the situation seemed to hit both women at the same moment. A shudder racked through Petunia’s frame, and she scrubbed at her face rather harshly, as Dahlia struggled to swallow the growing lump forming in her throat and blink away the sudden wetness in her eyes. There would be time for grieving later, preferably when they were alone. A moment passed between the sister’s, taking the time to gather their composure.

Petunia looked up from her hands and spoke in a frightened whisper, “What are we gonna do, Dahlia? I can’t- I can’t take care of him, he is going to be too much like them, I just know it.”

“We have to Petunia. He is our nephew. He’s Lily’s son. You know Lily would have taken Dudley if something had happened to you and Vernon.” Dahlia answered as firmly as she could, though she still flinched when Petunia looked away from her in shame. “Look,” Dahlia took a deep breath, “Look, Petunia I can take him, but I still need you to take him when I work. And no matter what, even if he is like them he still needs all the family he can get. We can’t take that away from him.”

Petunia turned back to Dahlia, her lips tight in a frown, but she still nodded her head in agreement. Dahlia smiled in relief and leaned her full weight against the counter, as she turned her attention back to the slumbering child in her arms. The kitchen descended into silence once more, however, the silence was comforting, as if it was trying to relieve some of that weight that had descended unto the two’s shoulders. The sister’s stayed like that for what seemed like hours, until the sounds of Vernon getting up from bed reached their ears. Dahlia quickly moved to put Harry back in his basket, wrapping him tightly in his blankets to protect from the weather outside. The woman finally noticed the thick parchment sitting next to the basket and she only read the first few lines before angrily ripping the letter in half. Dahlia swept her sister in a tight hug, mumbling “stupid fucking wizards” causing her sister to bark a bitter laugh into her ear.

“I’ll talk to you soon, Tunie,” Dahlia whispered as she squeezed Petunia once before letting go and picking up the basket holding her nephew.

And just like that, Dahlia Evans left Number Four Privet Drive, not quite the way she had found it that November morning, but she certainly left it carrying with her a responsibility that no one in the entire wizarding world had ever thought to bear. As the news traveled of the defeat of a terrible dark lord at the hands of a boy, two sisters began a new life, vowing to never let that secret world touch another Evans again.


	2. An Visit in December

_ Laughter. _

 

_ Delightful shouting. _

 

_ The warm sunlight hitting pale skin. _

 

_ Glimpses of bright red and pale blonde hair swinging ahead of her as she, giggling, chases after. _

 

_ Small, pale hands cupping a slowly blooming flower bud. _

 

_ Train steam covering the sight of her little sister as she is taken far, far away. _

 

Dahlia sprung awake from her quickly fading dream to the sound of a child crying. Rubbing sleep from her eyes, the blonde woman quickly lifted herself from her warm bed and stumbled tiredly to the cot of her baby nephew. 

 

“Shh, Harry. What’s the matter, baby?” Dahlia mumbled into the soft black curls of the boy-who-lived-to-ruin-her-sleep-cycle. It took a few minutes of rocking him back and forth while speaking to him softly until Harry eventually fell back to sleep. Dahlia looked over at the red light of her clock, sighing quietly as it read 4:56 AM. 

 

For the past month or so after her younger sister’s death, Dahlia has faithfully kept after her nephew. Harry, overall, was a fairly easy baby. Though he did have terrible nightmares, which is understandable, considering what the poor boy had been through. 

 

By early December Harry and Dahlia had settled into a routine. Dahlia worked at a close by children center in a work-study program her university provided. Originally she had planned to leave him with Petunia, as Petunia remained at home to take care of Dudley. That plan worked for about a week before Dahlia found out Petunia just passed over the care of their nephew to Mrs.Figg, Petunia’s older neighbor with a horrendous number of cats. 

 

Dahlia hadn’t talked to Petunia since their tiff over the matter, so she made do by bringing Harry with her each day to Moria’s Children Center. Mr. Moria, the owner of the center was a very kind man and allowed Harry to stay with her as she took care of the rest of the children. And while it was a bit of an adjustment, Harry also accompanied Dahlia to her late afternoon classes.

 

Raising a child by herself was no easy task, but Harry was her family and she be damn if she allowed her sister’s child to be taken in by anyone else.

Dahlia placed the slumbering Harry back in his cot and quietly went to start getting ready for the day. 

 

\----

 

An hour or so later finds Dahlia eating a bowl of cereal quietly as her tea steams beside her. A towel hangs over her shoulders as her shoulder-length blonde hair drips dry. A series of harsh knocks interrupts the quiet moments before her sleeping boy was to awake, startling the young woman. Dahlia got up from the small table in her equally small kitchen and headed cautiously towards the door of her flat. Her woolen covered feet padded gently along the floor as she pulled her pullover sleeves down to cover her arms. 

 

Opening the door Dahlia is greeted to an odd sight at 6:00 in the morning. A stern, older woman stands stiffly at Dahlia’s apartment door, wearing what appears to be a long dark green robe.

 

“Um…’Morning.” Dahlia greets after a brief stare down between the two women. 

 

“Good morning. Are you Dahlia Evans?” The woman at Dahlia’s door speaks in a no-nonsense tone that reminds Dahlia of her old primary school principal.

 

“Yes, I am. Can I help you Ms…?”

 

“Oh, yes. I suppose you wouldn’t…May I come in? What I have to discuss would be better inside rather than in the hall.” The strange woman motions as if to step forward and Dahlia immediately steps out of the way, opening the door further. Dahlia can’t help be a  _ little _ intimidated by the woman. 

 

Shutting the door behind the robed woman, Dahlia motions past her frumpy living room, scattered with a mix of unfolded laundry and children’s toys, to the table in the kitchen. “Pardon the mess ma’am, Saturday’s are my clean-up days so you are seeing the worst of what my place as to offer. But I can get you some tea if you like? The kettle should still be on-”

 

“Yes, that would be nice.” The woman interrupts her rambling as she cautiously makes her way through the minefield of Dahlia’s living space. Dahlia silently slips past the woman as she sits at Dahlia’s modest table, while Dahlia bustles around the small space getting a cup of tea. 

 

As Dahlia reaches for the sugar bowl on her shelf, she calls over to the seated woman. “You never did give me your name, ma’am.”

 

“Apologise, Miss Evans. I am Professor Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” Dahlia pauses, her hand wrapped around the small bowl of sugar before she slowly places it on the counter. Turning towards Professor McGonagall, Dahlia’s pale hazel eyes lock with the woman’s own green. Dahlia continues the stare down as she turns of her stove top.

 

“I don’t think I’ll be making you that tea, ma’am.” She begins slowly, “Now if you don’t mind leaving, my nephew will be waking soon and I need to get breakfast ready.”

 

McGonagall stands, one of her hands disappearing into the folds of her robe, “Now, Miss Evans, please I just came to talk-”

 

“And you couldn’t come talk when you left Harry with us in the first place? Or you know, when my sister was f _ ucking killed by a terrorist?! _ No, I’m sorry  _ Professor _ but don’t rightly think  _ I  _ wish to talk with  _ you _ .” A tense silence filled the kitchen while Dahlia quietly seethed and wrangled her rapidly diminishing composure. Professor McGonagall slowly removed her hand from the sleeve of her robe, without the wand she was undoubtedly reaching for. 

 

“Miss Evans, I apologize for the situation we put you in,” Dahlia barked a laugh at that, but her interruption went almost unnoticed by the witch,”but you must understand, Harry Potter isn’t some ordinary child. He is more important to the wizarding world than either you or Mrs. Dursley know.” 

 

“So? You wizards have made it very clear you don’t want us…. what do you call us? Muddles, or whatever, to know about whatever it is that you do.” Dahlia crossed her arms over her chest and pressed her hip against the counter, looking altogether not impressed. 

 

“While that is true, Mr. Potter’s case is special. Don’t you want what is best for him?” 

 

Dahlia bit her lip hard as familiar red hair and bright green eyes flashed in her memory. Green eyes that were reflected in her sister’s son. Closing her eyes, Dahlia recalled the sleeping baby in the room over and his mother who would never see him again. Sighing heavily, too heavily for a woman of 22, Dahlia reopened her eyes and pushed herself from her leaning position. 

 

“Okay. What do I need to do Professor?”

  
  


\----

 

“-And then she had the nerve to lecture me about childcare! I’m going into primary education for Pete's sake!” 

 

“ I told you, Dahlia,  _ those _ people are nothing but trouble.”

 

“You’re telling me, ‘Tuney.” Dahlia huffed, rubbing her hand through her long dried hair, as she sat and ranted to her sister on the phone. Harry peacefully ate his Cheerios in the highchair across from her, staring at his breakfast with a laser-eye focus. 

 

“Do you think she will come back?” 

 

“No. She said something about some Order keeping an eye, but to me, it just seems like they are going to spy on me until they find some excuse to bring him back to you. Which is bullshit! Just ‘cause I’m not married doesn’t mean I can’t take care of him.”

 

“And I am too busy with Dudley.” Petunia was quick to remind her younger sister.

 

Dahlia, chuckled, “Yeah that too. Anyway, I have to go, Harry and me have a busy day today at the park, don’t we bud?” Dahlia smiled as Harry successfully picked up a single cheerio and munched on it happily in reply. 

 

“Alright. Dress warm, it said on the news it was going to snow this afternoon.” 

 

“Will do. And please, remember to ask Vernon about a playdate for the boys. It will be good for them to be sociable!” Dahlia chirped back at her sister as Harry went after another Cheerio. 

 

“But what if Harry, y’know, does something odd or-” 

 

Petunia’s nervous rambled was cut off by Dahlia soothing laugh, “Don’t worry ‘Tuney, McGonagall said he wouldn’t really start doing that stuff till he was older. I’m sure Dudley won’t get “infected.”’ Dahlia mockingly teased, rolling her eyes at her worry-wart of a sister. 

  
  


“Don’t you dare make fun of me Dahlia! It is a reasonable assumption to make!” Petunia huffed in her younger sister’s ear as Dahlia laughed in response.

 

“I’m only teasing because I love you, dear. Lighten up! Us “Muggies” need to stick together!” Dahlia laughed at her sisters responding cry of outrage. 

 

“Good-day, Dahlia!”

 

“Love you, too, ‘Tuney-ah-” Dahlia’s drawn-out nickname for her sister was cut off by the familiar dial tone, causing the younger woman to laugh. Still giggling to herself, Dahlia got up and placed the phone in its place, before turning back to her nephew, who was munching on his last cheerio.

 

“So, Harry,” Dahlia called and Harry turned his bright green eyes to her, “you ready to go to the park?” Dahlia asked. 

 

“Park!” Harry cried cheerily, reaching his hands up towards his aunt. Dahlia laughed, scooped up her nephew, and spun him around before placing him on her hip and headed towards their bedroom to change into warmer clothes. 

 

It didn’t matter what that old witch said, Harry was a child first and a wizard second.

 

\---

 

“Look, mum, that baby’s floating!”

 

“Oh shite-, Harry!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very sorry for the late update! I underestimated the amount of attention this fic would require of me. I got very caught up in my senior year of school, but now I am done! So I will be updating this on a semi-regular schedule! Thank you all for your patience!

**Author's Note:**

> This was mostly written because I love sister dynamics, and I especially love middle siblings. I also wanted to write something that was focused on Petunia and Lily's relationship, but I wanted it to be personal and someone who could not take a side (Like their parents or their husbands did), so Dahlia was born! (and it's Dah-lee-ah if that helps any). I hope to make her as well rounded as Lily and Petunia and too not come off as too preachy, as she is going to play the voice of reason between the other two. 
> 
> This will be a short series focusing on that sister relationship and how that may or may not change both Harry and Petunia's lives and will take place pre-Hogwarts. This probably won't have a regular updating schedule but I would like to finish this before this year is up AT THE LATEST. I already have a few more chapters in mind, so this won't be terribly long. Though I might write a bonus chapter featuring protective Aunts because Harry needs an adult in his corner who isn't a criminal, a werewolf, a busy ginger mother and father, or an old man with too many responsibility's dammit.


End file.
